Another Broken Mirror
I was told my style
didn’t properly match.
A row of girls whispered and giggled
behind my back until a boy let me know
I had blood on the back of my skirt.
An elementary school gym teacher
told all the girls to lie down
on the floor and lift up our legs.
He said he was inspecting our shoes
to make sure they were appropriate
for his class. One girl would be chosen
by him to stand on the stage and cheer.
Organizational, generational,
outdated motivational speakers
dressed as chosen cheerleaders
telling us what to do.
We listen to the teacher,
to the governing body
as it takes control
over our own bodies.
Con man, liar, rapist,
violent hacker
directed at women’s body parts.
Our voices don’t matter
unless our mouths are open wide,
cheering him on or gagging
as he spits internal ramifications
down our throats.
Juliet Cook doesn’t fit inside an Easy-Bake Oven and rarely cooks. Her poetry has appeared in a peculiar multitude of literary publications. She is the author of numerous poetry chapbooks, most recently including “red flames burning out” (Grey Book Press, 2023), “Contorted Doom Conveyor” (Gutter Snob Books, 2023), “Your Mouth is Moving Backwards” (Ethel Zine & Micro Press, 2023), “REVOLTING” (Cul-de-sac of Blood, 2024), and “Blue Stingers Instead of Wings” (Pure Sleeze Press, 2025). Her most recent full-length poetry book, “Malformed Confetti” was published by Crisis Chronicles Press. You can find out more at https://julietcook.weebly.com/.
